Batten down the Battens

BlowMeAway

BlowMeAway

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Nov 30, 2015
1,340
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
I have four leech batten pockets on my main as seen in the image below. Occasionally when hoisting or dousing the main, a batten will slip out of the pocket. Sometimes falling to the deck, and one time going overboard. The battens are inserted into the pocket at a slight angle downward and forward into the leech end of the pocket. The opening is approximately 5 inches long and the battens are varied from 18 to 27 inches long dependent on sail location. The pockets are an inch and 7/8 wide and the battens are an inch and 1/2 wide. Standard battens are 1.5” or 2” wide. Is there an easy way (or good way) to keep these battens in place within the pockets. I remove the battens every end of season for winter storing.

60682E70-7B65-4400-9069-E29D1A704688.jpeg
 
BlowMeAway

BlowMeAway

.
Nov 30, 2015
1,340
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
I have no idea how the discussion title ended up reading like that. It’s simply “Batten Down the Battens”
 
Tally Ho

Tally Ho

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Jan 7, 2011
5,262
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Can you take a photo of how the pocket closes? On my O’Day 322 with Doyle main sail (very similar battens to yours), the pocket opens at the top...maybe 6 inches, at the puff of the sail. Mine close with Velcro. I have to work the batten in from the op, and once it is inserted all the way, I can push it down into the pocket and pinch the Velcro closed at the top of the pocket. I did lose one of mine...but at the dock when I was putting the sailmaway for the season. Have a cut down yard stick in that pocket for now.:solame:

On my Hunter 280, she had full battens, and the pockets were open at the end, and had 2 folds of sail cloth with Velcro on them. Once the batten was inserted, the folds were folded over each other to keep the batten in the pocket.

A photo would held understand what you have.

Greg
 
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All U Get

All U Get

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Oct 2, 2008
3,810
Pearson/ 530 Strafford, NH
We have Velcro sewn so we can cover the end plus a little line that ties onto a button [don't know the nautical term].
 
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BlowMeAway

BlowMeAway

.
Nov 30, 2015
1,340
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
Tally Ho said:
photo would held understand what you have.
Click to expand
Sure, if the rain slacks off I’ll get a shot tomorrow. Velcro sounds right. Cindy was leaning towards snaps...but I poo pooed that idea.
 
agprice22

agprice22

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Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
Batten pockets usually have a flap that is secured by velcro... the luff end may occasionally tear, but your flap will hold the battens.
 
BlowMeAway

BlowMeAway

.
Nov 30, 2015
1,340
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
agprice22 said:
Batten pockets usually have a flap that is secured by velcro... the luff end may occasionally tear, but your flap will hold the battens.
Click to expand
Hi Andrew, it’s nice to hear from you. Hope your sailing season is going well. We’re a bit behind the normal curve this year. Regardless, the battens on this mainsail are on the leech edge of the sail and get inserted towards the mast. I assume they simply add a little support to the trailing edge of the roach to maintain a bit of air foil shape. They’ve never come out with pressure on the sail, only have fallen when hoisting or dousing. I think that maybe the sail maker (Doyle) may have put them in backwards with respect to the insertion pocket. I’m thinking the Velcro closures above the battens on the insertion pocket will work. :)
 
S

sesmith

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Jul 1, 2010
977
Catalina 350 Port Huron
Confused a little by the description. Are you saying the batten pockets are open in the back? Usually, there's a velcro closure. We have hefty ones on our current boat, so no issues. On our previous boat, the closures kind of worked, most times :) I ended up drilling small holes in the end of all the battens, and tied them to the closures with small pieces of thin line. Can you do something similar? Maybe add small grommets to tie to if you don't have any closures?
 
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agprice22

agprice22

.
Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
sesmith said:
Confused a little by the description. Are you saying the batten pockets are open in the back? Usually, there's a velcro closure. We have hefty ones on our current boat, so no issues. On our previous boat, the closures kind of worked, most times :) I ended up drilling small holes in the end of all the battens, and tied them to the closures with small pieces of thin line. Can you do something similar? Maybe add small grommets to tie to if you don't have any closures?
Click to expand
Scott, you are in the same marina as Wayne. Check it out.
Wayne AND Scott.. I am at my boat next weekend from Friday through Monday. You, and your partners, are invited to go for a sail.
Wayne, that is interesting... Is it possible you have been putting the battens in backwards?
 
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S

sesmith

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Jul 1, 2010
977
Catalina 350 Port Huron
Thanks for the invite, but we'll be out of town. We've been missing from the marina the last couple of weeks. Towed the boat up to Rhode Island and spent a couple of weeks cruising the area. Made it out to Cuttyhunk Island and Martha's Vineyard, as well. Currently home for a week of work, and boat repairs. Then leaving for the North Channel for a couple more weeks of cruising, later this week.

Wayne, I'd be more than happy to take a look at your battens and help brainstorm a fix when our paths manage to cross. What slip # are you? I may be down there sometime this week. We would like to dunk our boat back in the water for a day (mast down) just to make sure my repairs are water tight before the long trek up to Lake Huron.
 
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Joe

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
8,124
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
There are many ways to secure battens in their pockets... This Sailrite videos shows the most common way and could help you decide on a plan of action.

 
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BlowMeAway

BlowMeAway

.
Nov 30, 2015
1,340
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
agprice22 said:
Wayne, that is interesting... Is it possible you have been putting the battens in backwards?
Click to expand
Hey Andrew, you're a funny guy. Backwards batten bungle. Indeed!

Sorry for the tardy response to you and @sesmith , it was a busy weekend, and I didn't make it up to Ithaca on Sunday. So I didn't capture any photos. I appreciate your invitation to sail with you next weekend and we would if Cindy hadn't invited a few friends to our boat on Sunday. We have a family reunion to attend on Saturday as well.

Scott, I'm on the end of pier No. 2, Slip 139. Stop by anytime, if only to share a barley-pop and some jocularity. I'm hoping to resolve this batten issue with velcro.

Google Earth - Slip 139.jpg
 
agprice22

agprice22

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Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
And Wayne, some of my battens DO have a luff end and a leech end. The leech end is lighter and thinner. Or... maybe it’s the luff end is lighter.... hmmmm.... I know they only fit one way... I think...
Haha!:laugh:
 
BlowMeAway

BlowMeAway

.
Nov 30, 2015
1,340
Hunter 1978 H30 Cherubini, Treman Marina, Ithaca, NY
Thank you whomever fixed the discussion title. I feel less stupid now. :cool:
 
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Joe Blizzard

Joe Blizzard

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Feb 5, 2009
255
Gloucester 20 Kanawha River, Winfield, WV
Do your pockets have elastic in the closed end, and if so is it damaged or worn out?
 
NotCook

NotCook

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Dec 29, 2008
805
Treworgy 65' LOA Custom Steel Pilothouse Staysail Ketch St. Croix, Virgin Islands
Joe said:
There are many ways to secure battens in their pockets... This Sailrite videos shows the most common way and could help you decide on a plan of action.
Click to expand
The way shown there right in the video image is how ours are - and we lose them all the time!
 
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